HORSES is a submission for Critique Me!, an event where Girls Horse Club writers are inviting readers to critique their stories and poems with praise and/or constructive advice intended to help build confidence and improve writing/storytelling skills. Thanks in advance for your thoughtful insight!
by Geneva, age 7
Horse are the light of the world.
Horses make me smile, luckily I have my own.
They make me smile, they make me happy.
Riding like a cowboy, I will ride away on my horse’s back.

TWO GREAT HORSES… is a submission for Critique Me!, an event where Girls Horse Club writers are inviting readers to critique their stories and poems with praise and/or constructive advice intended to help build confidence and improve writing/storytelling skills. Thanks in advance for your thoughtful insight!
by huskyhorsegirl, age 15
Two great horses.
One determined girl.
Together, they are ready for
whatever life’s thundering hooves can
throw at them…or are they?
Chapter 1
We’ve

CORE is a submission for Critique Me!, an event where Girls Horse Club writers are inviting readers to critique their stories and poems with praise and/or constructive advice intended to help build confidence and improve writing/storytelling skills. Thanks in advance for your thoughtful insight!
by HorseFeathers, age 17
I went out to the field where the horses run
In the grass stirring waves beneath the morning sun.
They pulled me into an everlasting prairie sea,
A place I was always meant to be.
I

TO HORSES, BY A HORSE: HONEY is a submission for Critique Me!, an event where Girls Horse Club writers are inviting readers to critique their stories and poems with praise and/or constructive advice intended to help build confidence and improve writing/storytelling skills. Thanks in advance for your thoughtful insight!
by Leopard Appaloosa, age 10
—————— FOR HORSES EYES ONLY ———————-
Hay every-horse!
My name’s Honey.

Hay Horse Girls! As the Story Relay is winding down, are you ready for another writing activity? Are you willing to put your work up for critique from GHCers? If so, read on…
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
Write on! General submissions will open from Friday January 14th through Sunday January 23rd for horsey poetry, fiction and non-fiction.
New or tried and true. You can submit something brand spankin’ new, or submit a link to something previously published at GHC. Either way, the submission must

Dear Horse Girls,
Welcome to 2011!
I like to set goals and challenge myself throughout the year so no big January 1st resolutions for me. What about you — any fun horsey plans or goals in store for 2011? Before the end of 2010, I set some hooves in motion for a horse adventure in Colorado. This is going to be a BIG year for me!
I hope this year brings you abundant love, happiness and fun with your two and four-legged loved ones.
Sincerely,
P.S. The next GHC activity is already in the works,

PROLOGUE
With Valor comfortably settled into his chamber, Cassidy closed the heavy door and secured the latch, then ran her palm over a scanner to activate the onboard computer. It was programmed to control air quality and dispense precise quantities of food, supplements, and exercise for the long flight.
She breathed a huge sigh of relief and anticipation, then made her way to the front of the pod where she settled into her seat before pressing a button on the control panel that opened a door between

After the holidays, I’ll introduce a new Story Relay — a collaborative story written as a team! We’ve done different flavors of this in the past, but this time we’ll take a slightly different approach. If you want to join the relay team, please read below for details about how to participate, how it works, and contributor guidelines.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
To contribute to the Story Relay, simply sign up in the comments below saying something like “I want to participate

Dear Horse Girls,
It’s that time of year when horse girls across the globe are hoping and begging and pleading for the ultimate gift — a horse of their very own. I truly hope this dream comes true for some of you.
May your holiday season be filled with peace, joy, and fun times with your two and four-legged loved ones.
Sincerely,

by Findabhair Blacksgote, age 14
« PART 6
I screamed.
“Ekatrina!!” That was impossible! Ekatrina was dead! I had seen her body, and it had been very much dead. “Are you a ghost?” I asked. I’ve never seen a ghost.
Ekatrina laughed. “I am not a ghost!” she insisted. But she was dead! Nevertheless, I ran into her arms. She was still taller than me even though I’d grown at least a little since I’d last seen her.
“You look lovely, ” I told her. And she did; copper

by Findabhair Blacksgote, age 14
« PART 5
(coming soon) EPILOGUE »
CHAPTER 26
After dinner Kale crept past Finvarra, who was dancing with Catarin again, and up to her room to wait for Eoghan’s whistle. She almost screamed when someone knocked on the door.
“Ahearne!” she exclaimed, seething, “What are you doing here?”
“What’s going on?” Ahearne asked. At least he has the decency to skip the pleasantries, Kale thought. She despised pleasantries with a passion.
She pulled

by Findabhair Blacksgote, age 14
« PART 4
(coming soon) PART 6 »
CHAPTER 21
“You’d better come in,” said Eoghan when Kale had finished telling him her plan. The ball was in his hands now. All she could do was wait.
Kale followed docilely. He led her into the study, which was bigger than hers, and filled with seaweed scrolls. Eoghan pulled a scroll out from a drawer and stared at it intently. He handed it to Kale and left the study. He barricaded the door and came back.
“I have

by Findabhair Blacksgote, age 14
« PART 3
(coming soon) PART 5 »
CHAPTER 16
They went through the whole poem box. Kale found two more poems concerning the ‘tradition’ of sacrificing firstborns. It turned out that the firstborns were sacrificed when they became a threat to Finvarra’s reign. Kale supposed he was immortal, because he had been around a long, long, long time. She also supposed that Finvarra must care at least a little about Ahearne, or he wouldn’t go to

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Fall in LOVE with HORSES giveaway. Did you have fun reading everyone’s first memory of igniting their horsey spark into a flame of love? I hope so!
HUGE nickers to the individuals and companies who donated prizes — my friend Wendy, who gave us the ARTLAB, Susan Jeffers who donated one of her gorgeous prints from My Pony, Peachtree Publishers for sending a copy of Astra, Templeton Thompson for sharing her Life on Planet Cowgirl CD, Terri Farley

by Findabhair Blacksgote, age 14
« PART 2
(coming soon) PART 4 »
CHAPTER 11
Kale walked along after Catarin back down the halls. She hoped she wouldn’t be asked to find her way around by herself ever, because she was lost already, and they had barely gone a few hundred feet.
“Now I’m going to do my best to keep Finvarra occupied and your job is to seat yourself somewhere in a corner and stay there. I’ll send Ahearne for you later,” said Catarin.
Ahearne again!! So she

by Findabhair Blacksgote, age 14
« PART 1
(coming soon) PART 3 »
CHAPTER 6
They dove in. Kale was prepared to have to hold her breath, and did so until the rider behind her told her not to. Wondering what on earth he meant she let her breath out. A convey of bubbles sped off and popped. The water was clear now, and her eyes didn’t sting. Desperately needing air, she took an instinctive gulp and spat. It was almost like air…. but cooler and, well, liquid.
That’s because

by Findabhair Blacksgote, age 14
CHAPTER 1
(coming soon) PART 2 »
The waves crashed along beach, only the barest evidence showing that a second ago the Sea Horses had stood there. Moonlight tumbled with the waves, falling onto the white foam, rising with it for a minute only to be tossed back to the sky again as the waves hit the sand.
Along the beach a cloaked figure minced her way along the water’s edge, keeping to the Sea Horse’s footprints where possible. She hushed the

Today is a day to count our blessings, including family and friends, good health, food to eat, and the abundance of nature — in particular the gift of horses.
I’m also grateful for the gift of horse girls. I hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones.
Sincerely,

Nurture your love for horses with a lovely horse goodie — it’s time for our Fall in LOVE with HORSES giveaway!
IT’S EASY TO ENTER
This is a great opportunity to pick up a holiday gift for yourself or a horse girl in your life!
To enter, simply post a comment below telling us, IN 150 WORDS OR LESS, about your first memory of falling in love with horses. In addition to your entry, include your top three (3) choices for a prize if you win.
GIVEAWAY RULES
One entry per person. Only

Wheat Horses by Trey Ratcliff
Reason number 5,450,629 to Fall in Love with Horses: They’re like a cozy (1000+ pound) blanket when their cold-weather coats come in. (Just don’t think about spring when all that fur comes off…)
What’s your reason for falling in love with horses?
The story behind the photo:
“…these two [Icelandic] horses were playing with one another, weaving their heads and necks together in a little dance. I stood there with my camera, trying not